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Steam Donkey Engine
- Thread starter BenjamanQ
- Start date
I read this book and it got me interested in Donkey engines moved on to "Logging the Redwoods" and "In search of Steam Donkeys by Merv Johnston" for background, as Steam Donkey Engine of this type do not exist in the U.K.
I am restricted by the size of my lathe as to the size of project I can undertake
I then discovered the 1862 patent drawing for the Dolbeer Horizontal Steam Donkey Engine.
I am attempting to produce a model of the above with the aid of the patent drawing a drawing of a winch donkey with full size measurements and photographs.
Scale is about 1"=1' and make it up as you go along.
I am using an engine and boiler that I had already it has taken about a year to get the sledge made and looking right and the engine mounted.
It took a little while to make the connecting rod and linkage, the eccentric and valve linkage is the current project.
Steam donkey engines are a fascinating subject it is sad that like steam in the U.K. they were abandoned without a second thought.
Good luck with the Steam Donkey
Ken
I am restricted by the size of my lathe as to the size of project I can undertake
I then discovered the 1862 patent drawing for the Dolbeer Horizontal Steam Donkey Engine.
I am attempting to produce a model of the above with the aid of the patent drawing a drawing of a winch donkey with full size measurements and photographs.
Scale is about 1"=1' and make it up as you go along.
I am using an engine and boiler that I had already it has taken about a year to get the sledge made and looking right and the engine mounted.
It took a little while to make the connecting rod and linkage, the eccentric and valve linkage is the current project.
Steam donkey engines are a fascinating subject it is sad that like steam in the U.K. they were abandoned without a second thought.
Good luck with the Steam Donkey
Ken
- Joined
- Feb 2, 2013
- Messages
- 3,627
i'm sorry if this is off topic,
i have seen the remnants of a steam donkey near a place where i hunted and camped.
it was used most likely for logging but possibly mining , i can't say for sure
i have stopped there 20 or so times over the years and slowly watch mother nature take it's toll on the ol donkey.
it the old beast could only talk
i have seen the remnants of a steam donkey near a place where i hunted and camped.
it was used most likely for logging but possibly mining , i can't say for sure
i have stopped there 20 or so times over the years and slowly watch mother nature take it's toll on the ol donkey.
it the old beast could only talk
Where I live (Southern Indiana) limestone was king for decades; Indiana limestone is on the Empire State building, the Chrystler building and the Pentagon. When I was a kid (I won't say how long ago that was but you could buy coal for your furnace then) there were limestone quarries everywhere. They used steam donkeys and a system of derricks and cables to lift the massive blocks of limestone out of the quarry. They are all gone now.
- Joined
- Jan 16, 2020
- Messages
- 8
I do not have any experience with it, but it is one of those projects that I would like to tackle at some point. Guess I will have to order the book!
There was a gentleman from Peoria Illinois (Ted Young) that built a model steam operated railroad crane about 30 years ago. He displayed it at a live steam meet where I happened to be in attendance at that time. He had it rigged with a clam shell bucket and was operating it at the show. It was a fascinating little machine to watch.
Ted worked for many years as a designer at Caterpillar, and was very active in the model engineering hobby. Sadly, he passed away in 2006.
A photo of his steam crane and a Shay engine he built are available here: http://www.galesburgrailroaddays.org/modeltrainshow/images/exhibitor_002.jpg Ted is the gentleman seated by the locomotive.
There was a gentleman from Peoria Illinois (Ted Young) that built a model steam operated railroad crane about 30 years ago. He displayed it at a live steam meet where I happened to be in attendance at that time. He had it rigged with a clam shell bucket and was operating it at the show. It was a fascinating little machine to watch.
Ted worked for many years as a designer at Caterpillar, and was very active in the model engineering hobby. Sadly, he passed away in 2006.
A photo of his steam crane and a Shay engine he built are available here: http://www.galesburgrailroaddays.org/modeltrainshow/images/exhibitor_002.jpg Ted is the gentleman seated by the locomotive.
I have started it. Got the frame, base plate, end frames and three shafts made up. I am not sure what I will do for cylinders. Cast iron is difficult to get locally. Possibly I will use steel milled out and brass pistons. At the speed I am going it will take me over a year :')
My father worked on these things as a fireman. He had his steam ticket but there was a glass ceiling for immigrants like him. Life in a camp in the Dirty Thirties was different and dangerous.
I've purchased cast iron from www.speedymetals.com in 12" lengths. It is very fine grain and machines well. Unfortunately the cost of shipping is usually the same as the iron bar cost. The john-tom site has Elmer's plans for machining a cylinder from solid bar in the #38 VR75 engine (3/4" bore & stroke) It's a clever way to turn a cube into a cast looking cylinder. I'm planning to scale it up to 1" bore & stroke for my donkey.
I have a lot of respect for the men that worked in those camps. I don't think we make'em like that anymore.
[QUOTEI have a lot of respect for the men that worked in those camps. I don't think we make'em like that anymore.[/QUOTE]
It was not a picknik.... My dad could barely speak English and was walking around Vancouver on a Sunday. He had slipped away from a road gang when they got about fifty miles out of Vancouver then walked the rails into the city. By hiring on a road gang you could travel and then slip away when the gang got near where you wanted to be. He said the bosses watched everyone like hawks not wanting to lose a man.
A drunk saw him and tried to drag him to an employment office that was closed. The drunk kept pounding on the door. My dad decided to go there the Monday and the door was open. The only thing he could recognise on the postings was the word "fireman". He had fired donkey engines driving the threshing machines up around Peace River. They give him a boat ticket and take him down to the docks and send him off. He found a Czech on board and my dad could speak a bit. He found out where he was going... one of the worst logging camps on the coast. He intended to dive off and swim for the shore. The guy told him to tough it out and then he could go to better camps.
The bunk houses were so lousy that everyone slept outside on cedar boughs until frost killed everything. First breakfast he walks in and there is only one place left so he takes it. All through the breakfast they kept asking " you OK? You OK?" All he could answer was Ya Ya . Apparently the day before a guy had dropped dead in that spot and no one would sit there.
My dad said he tried Chokerman for a little bit but declined. It was really dangerous. As soon as the signalman saw that you had the choker around he would pull the signal cord and the winch operator would tighten. Meanwhile you ran for your life hoping that a snag would not whip around and kill you.
When someone was killed they set the body aside and carried on. At end of day they would carry the body back to the camp.
That was my fathers introduction to the Dirty Thirties as an immigrant but it was a lot better than back in Europe.
Kinda off topic.
It was not a picknik.... My dad could barely speak English and was walking around Vancouver on a Sunday. He had slipped away from a road gang when they got about fifty miles out of Vancouver then walked the rails into the city. By hiring on a road gang you could travel and then slip away when the gang got near where you wanted to be. He said the bosses watched everyone like hawks not wanting to lose a man.
A drunk saw him and tried to drag him to an employment office that was closed. The drunk kept pounding on the door. My dad decided to go there the Monday and the door was open. The only thing he could recognise on the postings was the word "fireman". He had fired donkey engines driving the threshing machines up around Peace River. They give him a boat ticket and take him down to the docks and send him off. He found a Czech on board and my dad could speak a bit. He found out where he was going... one of the worst logging camps on the coast. He intended to dive off and swim for the shore. The guy told him to tough it out and then he could go to better camps.
The bunk houses were so lousy that everyone slept outside on cedar boughs until frost killed everything. First breakfast he walks in and there is only one place left so he takes it. All through the breakfast they kept asking " you OK? You OK?" All he could answer was Ya Ya . Apparently the day before a guy had dropped dead in that spot and no one would sit there.
My dad said he tried Chokerman for a little bit but declined. It was really dangerous. As soon as the signalman saw that you had the choker around he would pull the signal cord and the winch operator would tighten. Meanwhile you ran for your life hoping that a snag would not whip around and kill you.
When someone was killed they set the body aside and carried on. At end of day they would carry the body back to the camp.
That was my fathers introduction to the Dirty Thirties as an immigrant but it was a lot better than back in Europe.
Kinda off topic.
I looked up on boston gear site
NA 22B spur gear 20 DP 14.5 PA 22 teeth steel
pitch diameter 1.100 Face width .375
Large gear is NA 90
spur gear 20 DP 14.5 pitch angle 90 teeth cast iron
pitch dia. 4.5 face width 3.75
large outside diameter will be over 4.5
I have not dug out my machinerys handbook but with the info the OD can be figured out
I was going to order them through a local BC Bearing outlet. I have bought spur gears for my lathe with success.